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Arcia set for rehab assignment at Rochester

4/3/14: Oswaldo Arcia hits a triple to deep center to give the Twins the lead in the 9th

By Rhett Bollinger
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MLB.com |

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins outfielder Oswaldo Arcia took batting practice on the field before Friday's game against the Tigers without any issues, and will begin a rehab assignment on Saturday with Triple-A Rochester.

"Everything feels great so he's ready to go," assistant general manager Rob Antony said. "He did everything today without any issues. We'll ease him into the process with some at-bats at DH at first, and alternate from there."

Arcia, who is on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 5 with a right wrist strain, had been taking batting practice in the cages before progressing to on-field work on Friday. Manager Ron Gardenhire was pleased with what he saw, and said Arcia reported no problems after hitting.

"He felt nothing," Gardenhire said. "He was feeling great and letting it fly. So, he's getting close to playing some baseball here. We'll let him hit on the field for the next few days here and then if everything keeps going, we'll get him on his way and send him down to get some swings."

Fellow outfielder Josh Willingham, who is on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 7 with a small fracture in his left wrist, has yet to start taking batting practice, as he still feels tenderness in his wrist. But Gardenhire said Willingham could start swinging by early next week, and he is feeling better.

"He still has some point-soreness where the knob of the bat would be," Gardenhire said. "But it's almost down to nothing. But he holds the knob of the bat right on that spot. So, he'll see some doctors here maybe tomorrow, and he thinks early next week, he'll take some swings out there and then start a rehab after that."